leveltrust.org Impact Report 2020 2 Level Trust Impact Report 2020 Level Trust. 3 What we did. 4 How did we respond to Covid-19? 6 How did we listen? 8 Why children needed us. 10 The impact we had. 14 Children’s stories. 18 Who did we work with? 20 Thank you! 22

Level Trust gives children what they need for learning.

Working across 69 schools, our aim is to ensure that school, college and nursery aged children have everything they need to fully participate in their education.

This report outlines what we did last year, why we did it and what impact we had.

Level Trust Impact Report 2020 3 What we did.

Over 2020 we worked with children on 4,994 occasions. We did this by providing: 1,950 children with a total of 5,498 items of free school uniform through our Uniform Exchange. 144 children with a computer through our work with Luton Learning Link. 260 children with remote activity schemes.

4 Level Trust Impact Report 2020 299 children with free 222 school shoes. children with free winter coats.

507 children with emergency food, learning resources and clothing.

12 1,600 young people children with learning with leadership resource packs. opportunities.

Level Trust Impact Report 2020 5 How did we respond to Covid-19?

With Covid-19 pushing more families • Were instrumental in setting up into deeper hardship, this year we Luton Learning Link, a partnership have been needed more than ever. between Luton Council of Mosques, We responded by expanding and the High Sheriff of and reworking our projects so that we Level Trust to provide computers for could safely meet the needs of more children to learn on at home. As of children. November 2020, we had provided 811 devices across the whole of Most notably we: Bedfordshire.

• Launched the Emergency • We helped to set up We Are Luton, Home School Project, providing a group of organisations who worked emergency resources to 507 children together to support children, young to help them learn at home. people and families over the crisis which helped us collectively reach • Launched our online Uniform 179 families. Exchange to run alongside our Uniform Exchange in The Mall, enabling families to choose free school uniform from the safety of their own homes.

6 Level Trust Impact Report 2020 Level Trust Impact Report 2020 7 How did we listen?

To understand the impact our work had we:

• Surveyed 266 children who took part in our activity scheme.

• Surveyed 6 children and 28 parents and carers who used the Uniform Exchange.

• Collected case studies and feedback from 38 school partners.

• Recorded details of every Uniform Exchange order (this report includes Data relating to digital devices has been taken data from our busiest month last year, from Luton Learning August 2020, relating to 211 children). Link’s impact report. For a full copy of this report • Collected diversity data from 334 please visit: parents and carers who used the lutonlearninglink.org Uniform Exchange.

8 Level Trust Impact Report 2020 Level Trust Impact Report 2020 9 Why children needed us.

Children need us because families cannot afford costs associated with learning.

65% 86% 32%

(173) (24) (9) of children who took of parents and carers of families told us that part in our activity surveyed told us they had used payday scheme received free that they struggled loans or credit cards to school meals. to afford the cost of pay for school uniform school uniform. before they had known about the Uniform Exchange.

10 Level Trust Impact Report 2020 Families told us they could not afford shoes, coats, school uniform and P.E. kit for a large number of reasons. The most common reasons were low paid work or because they were single parent families.

Reason cannot afford school uniform* Number of families who gave this reason

Family breakdown 3 5.08%

Job loss 4 6.78%

Long term illness or disability in the family 5 8.47%

Low paid work 13 22.03%

Changes in benefits 6 10.17%

Debt 1 1.69%

More than four children in the household 8 13.56%

Recently arrived in the UK 1 1.69%

Single parent 13 22.03%

Living in temporary accommodation 1 1.69%

Domestic violence 3 5.08%

Unemployed 1 1.69%

*This data came from the 28 families who answered our survey and 11 case studies of families who accessed our shoes, coats and learning resources.

Level Trust Impact Report 2020 11 The first few months I am worried I have no money. How will I buy the kids uniform?

Single mother of four

12 Level Trust Impact Report 2020 What happens to children “because it was winter and I only when they cannot afford had shorts so couldn’t send her in costs associated with rain in shorts. It was too expensive learning? to get the right P.E. kit.”

“Students not in correct footwear Children are at risk of harm. are not able to attend lessons.”

Schools told us about children having — A Luton high school uncomfortable feet in shoes too tight for them, or being cold on the way to Children and parents feel school without a warm coat. worried and children have low self esteem. Aiden had holes in both soles of his shoes. He told his teacher he found Children told us that if they didn’t have them uncomfortable. the right things for school they worried about getting in trouble with teachers or Maryam (16) has asthma. She told us being bullied for looking different. her mum could not afford P.E. trousers. She was told by her teacher she had to Schools told us that children without take part in P.E. outside in her shorts the right items for school were shy, and t-shirt. It was winter and the cold quiet and withdrawn because they were made her asthma flare up. She wasn’t worried about what others thought. well enough to attend school for two weeks. Parents told us they worried about how they would afford the things their children required. Children participate less in learning. Schools noted the pressure that Without the correct equipment for families feel when money is tight. school and learning, children miss school, participate less in lessons and can’t pursue educational activities out of school.

One parent told us that her child had missed school…

Level Trust Impact Report 2020 13 The impact we had.

We removed barriers to learning. Children were Our work gave children the clothing, healthier, warmer and equipment and opportunities they need to participate in learning. more comfortable.

Schools told us that children were warmer 39 of 43 (90%) of schools surveyed said because they now had a warm P.E. kit or our work met children’s basic needs for winter coat and that their feet were more warm and waterproof clothing. comfortable because their shoes fit. “My mum got everything I needed “Having a decent coat and pair of from the Exchange.” shoes for the weather helps children — Uniform Exchange child access our outdoor curriculum safely and warmly. They also walk to “Level Trust has enabled vulnerable nursery dressed appropriately for the families to buy essential shoes and weather.” coats for school.” — Rothesay Nursery School — Foxdell Junior School The class teacher noticed a child “The project... gives families back walking uncomfortably. When she their dignity as they are able to spoke to him he said “my shoes are provide the correct uniform for their too small”. Family workers contacted children using the vouchers.” parents and shoe vouchers were

— St Margaret of Scotland Catholic Primary School handed out. The following day the child came into school walking much more comfortably and happy.’

— Denbigh Primary School

14 Level Trust Impact Report 2020 Children from our holiday activity scheme was able to get some plimsolls, we told us that as a result of taking part they noticed that Child H was attending ate healthy things and tried new foods. school for PE days.” One child told us that they now eat more vegetables, another said “I learnt to eat — Ramridge Primary School apples”. Students who received a device from Luton Learning Link reported an average Children attended increase of 2.5 hours of learning per week, school more and with some saying they worked over ten hours more every week. participated more in learning. “It allows me to complete work online, so I can stay up-to-date with 21 out of 34 families and children surveyed my academic studies and not have said that using the Uniform Exchange to worry about missing out on crucial reduced the risk of their child missing learning.” school. Schools told us they had seen a direct increase in student’s attendance as — Humira (12) a result of our work.

“A Year 4 child had sporadic Children grew in attendance because his parents confidence. were unemployed and could not Children and schools told us that as a afford shoes. He became a school result of our work, students felt more refuser because he just wanted confident, happier and their self esteem to blend in. When he got his new improved. shoes and coat you could see his attitude changed and his self esteem “Child A was a very quiet child and improved. His attendance improved did not have a lot of confidence. significantly.” When Child A received the vouchers

— St Margaret of Scotland Catholic Primary School and was able to buy a new coat and a new pair of shoes, their smile “Child H started to miss days off said everything. They became more school when it was PE days and confident, more talkative and really we noticed a pattern forming. We came out of their shell.” gave Mum a shoe voucher and she — William Austin Infant School

Level Trust Impact Report 2020 15 “Level Trust... means that children “Because when I played tennis I was don’t have to worry about another good at it and I think I enjoyed it.” thing in the family.” — Activity scheme child

— “Alya felt excited about having a new Children felt more confident because coat that she had picked herself from they had the same as their peers, they a shop. This boosted her confidence looked smart and they didn’t worry about and this in turn impacted on her getting into trouble at school. school work.”

Sophie (9) told us she worries about not — The Meads Primary School having the right things for school. Sophie felt sad because “I didn’t have my P.E kit, “It has made me feel more confident so wasn’t allowed to join in”. Sophie told in my learning and it has made me us she now gets everything she needs for push myself harder to work.” school from the Uniform Exchange. She told us that it had made her feel much — Aisha (12) more confident “Because I have the same as everyone else and it makes me look smart”.

Children told us that their improved confidence made them want to try new activities and pursue further learning. Schools saw that improved confidence had an impact on better school work.

16 Level Trust Impact Report 2020 Thank you very much for putting us back in school!

Mina (6)

Level Trust Impact Report 2020 17 Children’s Stories.

Aimee*

Aimee came to school with a coat that was too tight and short in the body and arms. It was for a child one year younger than her age. When we spoke to mum, she was embarrassed and explained money is tight. Her husband is a student and mum has just had another baby. She said she would go to the charity shop when she has some money to spare. We offered her a voucher. She was thrilled.

The next day, Aimee who was normally so shy, came to school wearing a new coat, with a big beaming smile on her face. She was keen to show off her new coat to teachers and her friends. She was very reluctant to take it off, and wanted to keep it on. Her confidence grew from that day. She accessed the outdoor curriculum more and built good friendships with a circle of boys and girls. It was lovely to watch her self- esteem grow and see her flourish.

18 Level Trust Impact Report 2020 Dalil*

Dalil, (13), came into the Uniform Exchange on his own. His mum had recently had a stroke and his dad had been made redundant as a result of the pandemic. Dalil didn’t have any of the uniform or learning equipment he needed for the start of the new school term. His family were struggling for food, living in one room in shared accommodation.

We gave Dalil all the school uniform he needed and a bumper pack of learning equipment that he needed for his lessons. We worked with local partners to provide hot meals to the family for a couple of weeks while mum recovered. We referred Dalil to his school who are now working with him to support the family’s wider needs.

Dalil says, “You have helped me a lot. You gave me blazers, shoes and a geometry box. You gave groceries to our family. Lunch is now free at my school. Two more companies have given us groceries at home. All this is due to your contribution. Thanks so much. Now I am very happy!”

*All children’s names and details have been changed in this report to protect identities.

Level Trust Impact Report 2020 19 Who did we work with?

Schools Age Children we worked with came from every To track children’s ages we combined our local authority or academy school in data for the 226 children who took part in Luton. our summer school and the 221 children who engaged with the Uniform Exchange Gender over the month of August 2020. From a sample of 334 Uniform Exchange parents 87% (290) were female and 12% Out of these 487 children: (42) were male. 1% (2) said they were 5% (25) were between the ages of 0-4 other. 47% (227) were between the ages of 5-9 47% (231) were between the ages of 10-14 For the children who engaged in our 1% (4) were between the ages of 15-19 holiday scheme 43% (115) were male and 57% female.

Disability From a sample of 334 Uniform Exchange parents 14% (33) said they had a disability and 21% (50) said they had a long term illness.

For the children who engaged in our holiday scheme 11% (30) had a disability.

20 Level Trust Impact Report 2020 Ethnicity

Bengali/Bangladeshi 4.73%

Black British 0.70%

Black or Black African 7.88%

Black or Black British – African 2.10%

Black or Black British – Caribbean 4.38%

Chinese 0.35%

Gypsy or Irish Traveller 0.53%

Indian /British Indian 3.15%

Irish 0.70%

Kashmiri 0.53%

Mixed ethnic background 2.10%

Other Asian 4.38%

Other Black 1.23%

Other ethnic background 1.23%

Pakistani / British Pakistani 13.84%

Romanian 0.18%

White Asian 2.98%

White and Black Caribbean 2.10%

White / Black African 1.93%

White British / English 37.30%

White Mixed Asian Pakistani 0.35%

White Other 6.48%

White Polish 0.70%

Prefer not to say 0.18%

Level Trust Impact Report 2020 21 Thank you!

A massive thank you to the children, families and schools who contributed to this report. You are what makes Level Trust.

22 Level Trust Impact Report 2020 Main funders The schools who contributed

Thank you to all those who make our work possible. to this report:

Our main funders are: Beech Hill Primary School BBC Children In Need Beechwood Primary School Bedfordshire and Luton Community Foundation Primary School Challenge Inspiration High School for Boys The Connolly Foundation Primary School Discover Islam Denbigh Primary School Gale Family Charitable Trust Farley Junior School The National Lottery Community Fund The Steel Charitable Trust Ferrars Junior School The Swire Charitable Trust Foxdell Junior School Sage Foundation Grasmere Nursery School The generous donors of Luton and Bedfordshire High School Icknield Primary School Partners Maidenhall Primary School Partnership is key to how Level Trust work. Our Pastures Way Nursery School partners refer children to our work, and share their Primary School skills, experience and resources. What they bring Ramridge Primary School makes our work possible. Richmond Hill School Rothesay Nursery School This year we worked with children from every local Sacred Heart Primary School authority or academy school in Luton. To deliver Someries Infant School this work we worked with 53 schools and 5 referral Someries Junior school partners. Southfield Primary School St Joseph’s Catholic Primary Luton This year our key delivery partners included: St Margaret of Scotland Catholic Primary School Team Beds and Luton St Martin De Porres Primary School University of Bedfordshire Access Partnership Team St Matthew’s Primary School Luton Council of Mosques RevoLuton Arts Community Primary School Tokko Youthscape The Ferrars Academy High Sheriff of Bedfordshire The Meads Primary School Discover Islam Warden Hill Infant School Luton Foodbank Waulud Primary School Luton Council Education Service Whipperley Infant Academy Whitefield Primary Academy Thank you for all your time, advice, William Austin Infant School effort and generosity.

Level Trust Impact Report 2020 23 leveltrust.org